Astrology And Body-Image
“Food-forward, fall holiday where you wear elastic shapewear to curb your propensity to overeat: Spanksgiving.”
–satori
How you look and how you THINK you look are two distinct things. How you look relates most closely to the ascendant, the rising sign, and its condition. Another factor is the placement of the ruling planet, the planet that rules the rising sign. How you think you look is impacted by these same factors but is more subtle. Your attitudes about your own appearance draw on your personal planets as well, even if they’re not in direct aspect.
I have Leo rising which is a proud sign, dramatic. Leo risings tend to have dramatic looks and often dramatic opinions of their looks. Neptune squares my ascendant. Chiron quincunxes. My view of my body is clouded by illusion, changeable, and is complicated by past wounding. My ascendant ruler is the Sun in Pisces, more Neptune.
I have a blended Neptune-Chiron-Sun (Leo) attitude toward my body. “I’m fine the way I am! If you don’t like it, don’t look at it!” But I also am aware of my imperfections in wounded sort of way. With Neptune highly featured, the reactions I garner are hard to categorize. I’m never really sure what others see or even what I see myself. One time I exclaimed: “I’m so old and fat!” and my daughter answered, “You’re not old, mama…” uncomfortable silence… “or fat.” People seem to want to exaggerate or lie to make me feel better about myself.
I even Neptune myself. I tend to carry an attitude that I look better than I actually do. I blur my self-image (Neptune) because of pride (Leo) and because of that I never actually conquer the problem (Chiron).
How do you feel about your body? Does it relate to the condition of your ascendant?
24 Responses to “Astrology And Body-Image”
I have a very high self-esteem thing going on and in general do not suffer from letting my physical appearance affect my mood/opinion of myself.
That said, everyone has their moments where they feel like crap and think they look icky or their hair is flat or they wished they had blue eyes instead of brown, or whatever.
But for me, it largely comes down to “don’t care” and also “don’t care what YOU think, either”.
Not sure if that’s all my Leo, or not.
First off,well you come across as beautiful to me,Satori 
Not in just a personality way either,in a physical way too.Not even lying or exaggerating,if I thought you “looked” homely I just wouldn’t say anything at all lol
I vacillate between three different trains of thought on how I look.Only one of which is unhealthy and strikes me on my bad days.I wish I could nail down ,astrologically, where my body image quandary comes from.I don’t have a prominent Neptune,I know exactly how I look in profile for example.If I paid too much attention to it,I’d never get in a car.I have to purposely block it out.I have many past wounds that are big roadblocks in my path to self acceptance.I also have no Leo,my sun is in it’s fall in Libra.I don’t think I look like a gargoyle,but I can’t say I think I’m a knockout either.
As far as my ASC goes,it really depends on what the proper orb is supposed to be.According to Astro my Merc/Venus and Saturn all oppose my Asc. Merc/Venus is opposed at 9°56s/57 (since they are a second off from being perfectly conjunct) and Saturn is opposed at 8°49a .It’s also trines Neptune by 9°44a.Now,I realize those are very wide orbs,so if I narrow them down the only aspect that “count” are a trine to Mars and an opposition to my sun.Which doesn’t seem all that bad if you count the sextile my Mars makes to my Sun.If My Asc opp Saturn does happen to count,it certainly would explain a whole lot lol Other than that all I can come up with is my 1st house Moon/Chiron conjunction opposed Jupiter.
My Leo rising has good aspects to my moon, sun, and Jupiter. Don’t want to sound like a cliche, but I’ve always been happy with my body and I like to look good. So I do.
It is also opposite Saturn. Not sure about the big picture of this aspect, but I would say it makes me think of skin problems and me assuming the mama bear role.
My sun is in Aries in Pisces-ruled 9th. I’m very jolly.
Man, can I certainly use help in this area!! I’ve a Scorpio AC conjunct Neptune and my Moon, all sextile Pluto (my chart ruler) and trine my Pisces stellium.
I’m foggy (Neptune), feel (Moon) more than see myself, and am always merging/morphing (Pisces) to fit my surroundings.
I’m always honestly surprised to hear others descriptions of me… I would be amused if I had any idea of my own, but instead it’s just weird.
I’ve developed a habit of looking directly at myself in the mirror sometimes.
Oh, this is quite a mixed bag for me. My first house placements, which are a different sign than my asc., all work on my looks and self-image.
I’m a Leo asc., with a look-at-me Leo face, and a long, blonde mane (which I prefer to frame my face by fluffing out). My Sun is in Cap, and I have Saturn in the 1st house, so I do have is-my-body-good-enough? issues.
Virgo Moon in the 1st also gives me the moon-face and body. Virgo moon and Saturn conj. confer a modest, classic manner of dress. Leo isn’t too horrified, with the Cap I pull it off as dignified.
Can’t help but wonder if Saturn in the 1st is why I’m so damned short. 
I’m honestly not sure if my rising sign is related to my body image. I have Sagittarius ASC…trine Chiron and square Ceres in Virgo.
I’m happy with the way I look. I’m quite shy in many ways but I’m happy with my body. I respect it and am very grateful for my health.
Sorry if this sounds Pollyanna-ish but it’s the truth. My best friend died when I was 21–she was smoking hot, well-dressed, talented, sought after. She became ill and was dead within a hours.
Chart ruler Jupiter in 6th…I guess my ASC does affect my self image.
I’ve known too many young people who have died to feel okay about complaining about my wrinkles:(
I hope this doesn’t sound critical, it’s just my life experience that informs this outlook. Maybe that, too, is a Sag thing.
Re: “an attitude that I look better than I actually do. I blur my self-image (Neptune) because of pride (Leo)”
I do this but don’t see a connection to my Cap ASC; I think this could maybe be Venus in Leo?
@kashmiri – I think your attitude is admirable and yes it sounds very Sag!
“I even Neptune myself. I tend to carry an attitude that I look better than I actually do…”
@Satori… how do you know that??? How do you know you don’t actually look even better than you think? Hmmm!
I’m not sure what to say here because I change so much. Cap Asc but I look different every day. Sometimes I’m gray, sometimes I’m bright & bawdy, sometimes I’m super girly… or hippy… or in a suit.
I think myself into who I want to be each day & I become her. I CAN say I’m never, ever trashy or cheap looking though, so THAT surely is Cap influence =)
I see me smaller than I am. If I look at me straight on in the mirror I look smaller than if I see me in photos 
Oh well.
I have Gemini rising. Using only a 5 degree orb I have Uranus/Pluto/Moon square my Asc.
I think my Jupiter in Cancer in my first house leads to the extra weight more than anything. Plus my Moon is in the 4th house. Yay emotional eating.
I have an Aries Asc conjunct Chiron in the 12th House. My Mars is in Gemini along with Venus in the 3rd House. I didn’t earnestly start exercising until 6 years ago. My Aries Asc has helped me unearth an athletic body. This has given me a greater love and peace of myself plus allowed me to feel more attractive to the opposite sex.
Hmmm… Body image is a very touchy topic. Apparently most loved ones say I am highly inaccurate of my self image but I tend to claim that because I have a style fashion background that I can objectively assess myself (is it Neptune coming to play here?).
Aries ascendant. And some people say I dress quite “fashion-forward” or at the least, gutsy. When they see me, they think I’m thinner and taller than what I am, when really, I’m the master of illusions when it comes to clothes. Since I hit my 30′s, I’ve had very fashion forward hairstyles… And guess where Mars is? LEO! Yes, I’m proud, dramatic and bold. I wear bright colors (and black) damn well (Pluto opp. Asc).
My aspects:
Mars in Leo (5th)
Conjunct Jupiter in virgo (6th)
Square Venus in Taurus (conj. by Chiron)
Square Chiron in Taurus
Square Uranus
Trine Neptune
Sextile Pluto
I always see myself as very masculine (but most people say I’m the extreme opposite). I always think I’m tall (which is why short jokes never phase me. I’m 5’3). I see my body as “odd” and often hate and resent myself for it because it’s too
challenging of a “canvas” to work with (I always think most women have it easy). Although I wear very feminine dresses well, somehow I keep thinking I look like a drag queen. My cancer moon and Aries sun often conflict, in a sense that my moon and Venus love the frilly dressed but my mars and sun like to look very edgy.
Lunalie, that is fascinating stuff. so intrigueing…
my chart ruler is venus and i really feel like what McKenna posted describes me very well.
i am not so happy about a lot of particulars but i step out with purposeful assumption that others will think i look exactly the way i think believe i do, wish i hope has an understated elegance involved, even in hippie-ish or casual mode.
In order for me to love my body, I have to be wearing something interesting or statement-making.
…especially in the bedroom.
Wow. Love your post. I have Mars in Leo Rising and my Chiron in Pisces is Quincunx this, and I also have Neptune square that Mars in Leo. Neptune is in the 4th house.
My Sun is in Taurus in the 10th house. Yes -I feel insecurity – I try to focus on career and I always feel better when I am dressed for Business (armour to hide behind).
I have virgo rising, with mercury in sag conjunct sun. Neptune and saturn are both square the ASC. I have never been able to see myself in the eye in the mirror.
After nearly four decades I have just recently realised that I have dimples on my face. When I was a child one of my uncles told me that I couldn’t possible have dimples as I was not a Libra sun (they only knew sun signs). In fact, I have Libra moon.
Re: “yes, definitely… and where is your saturn and what aspects does it make?”
Saturn in Taurus opposite Scorpio Moon, but OOB with Venus Leo. Also Venus square Neptune, which probably enhances the effect.
Taurus likes itself… Venus Leo square Neptune I think trumps everything in this regard! and happily so.
@Elsa…I shouldn’t guessed Leo rising with that beautiful head of hair and gorgeous face of yours!
I’m Gemini rising/ Sadge sun and I still can wear that bikini and look damn good in it. And I’ll be celebrating the 25th anniversary of my 29th birthday this Saturday (you do the math). LOL!!!
I love my body! I love me!!!! I embrace all that is wonderful about me and l also embrace the not so wonderful stuff too. I’m proud of who I am! And I should be!!
Happy Turkey Day Elsa!!!!
Well you probably have a beautiful head of hair and a lovely face too.
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I would like to comment about Leos since I have hubby with Leo moon and first son (19 yo) with Leo moon/Leo Sun…
They are SO readily aligned to their SUN – How do I perceive myself? Or more importantly, How do I perceive myself in relation to myself??
I get it…but am relaxing..